Airway traffic control system



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AIRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 25, 1944 '18 Sheets-Sheet l2 Buses Buses l buses buses UH 10M UM 1M (Hrs) (Tens Min.) (UnT Min.) (Tenths Min.)

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AIRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM vFiled. May 25. 1944 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 F|G..16A.

TIME SEQUENCE CHART OF TIME SCHEDULNG OPERATION IN1/mfomy Oct; l1, 1949. N. D. PRESTON ET AL A AIRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM 18 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed May 25, 1944 INVENTORS fypreson and FBHchcock Their ATTORNEY Oct. l1, 1949. N. D. PRESTON ET Ai. I 2,484,452

AIRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM File May 25, 1944 18 SheeS-Shet l5 S3 Si G g f1; .3 sg N Dpreson and FBHFEehcock ses Wh? Kim-s me iwf fa E a a n l; n Y 'U D *t u 11 Their ATTORNEY Oct. 11,v 1949. N..D. PRESTON ET AL 2,484,462'

IRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 25, 1944 18 sheets-sheet 16 V INVENToRs Nlgpr'eson and FB. Hitchcock M Their ATTORNEY EB @ciu wk@ SE 2% E n3@ Oct. 11? 1949. N, D, Plan-STQNY ETAL 2,484,462

AIRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Hay 25, 1944 18 Sheets-Sheet 17 (54 minutes added to accumulator setti 0T 01257) Cantat [N VEN T ORS NDPrcson and FB Hitchcock Their ATTORNEY 0f. 11,l1949. N, D, PRESTON ETAL 2,484,462

AlRWAYv TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 25, 1944 18 Sheets-Shes?l 18 (55 minutes added to accumuiqor :siting of 25110) N VDPre-:sfon @d EBHicl'rcock r4/Mm The ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1949 Neil D. Preston and Forest B. Hitchcock, Bochester, N. Y., assignors to General Railway 'Signal Company, Rochester, N. Y.

Application May 25, 1944, SerialNn. 537,312

54 Claims. l 1 This invention relates `to systems 4for controlling organization of means in an airway `trailc control system for automatically `calculating =and posting on .a display panel the arrival times for a proposed flightat the various radio i'lxes or markers of the route for such flight over the airways of a control area, for the purpose of providing a tentative flight plan ,or schedule for use in connection withthe advancerplanning and scheduling of ilights.

In the airway trafccontrol system of the type contemplated in connection Awith this invention, it is assumed thatevery `plane operating on the regular airways defined by radio ranges or the like, except'perhaps `forcertain excluded low altitudes, will need an :appropriate authorization or clearance from a central traiiic'controlling center for the control area, in :order to be entitled to use these airways, :and that such yclearance will specify the altitudes l,and `the particular times at which the flight may pass over `the fixes in its route in accordance with a prescribed time schedule. In connection with issuing such clearances, it is assumed ,thata tentative time schedule will be 4made up `for the new yproposed iiight .and checked visually or automatically `with the uncompleted schedules :for all `prior authorized flights, so as to carry ,out an `advance planning procedure which'willnotzonly1serve to avoid undue congestion at terminals, and the like, but will .also maintain 4arsuitable time or space separation between the variousiiights atand between the fixes in theiinterestsof safety.

In an airway traiicfcontrol system of this character, such as disclosed for example in our prior application, Ser.3No. 528,926, led March 3l, 1944, 4now Patent .No.l2,439,862, it is desirable to `determine quickly and accurately the arrival times-,at the .various fixes inithe route'fonagproposed flight, and post or register ',such arrival times in suitable time indicators relating to these fixes, as apreliminary step in `malringathe desired check against prior flight schedules.

The primary purpose -of this invention is to provide a suitable andeffectivevorganization of `parts and electric `circuits lfor automatically-determining accurately v'and quicklyby a processof numerical calculationandfaccumulation l the .vari- .ous arrival Itimes fforla yproposed flight atthe respective xesinvolvedin the'route forthisflight,

rand for registering `such `times in suitable time indicating means associated-With these .iixes, such as the so-called check .display ,units associated with the vrespective fix .panels of :the flight prog- `traffic on airways, and more particularly `to an ress .boarddisclosed .in our .priorapplication above mentioned.

Various factors need to .be taken into consideration in determining the arrival times for a proposed night, such .as `its starting .or base departure time, .the .fixes ,involved in its route, the relative direction of :its movement over such route, its normaler .ratedcruising speed, and the `direction and intensityof .the `wind modifying its cruisingspeed-tofgive aresultant ground speed.

It is an Iobject of lthis invention to `provide an automatic calculating .organization which will rtake into consideration Athese .various factors, so

as to give the times -ior a `tentative night schedule which a lplane can readilyfiollow with the desired safety rand `efficient .operation oi its propelling power plant.

The iurtherlobjectlof ythis invention is to perform kthese desired functions by ordinary relays Vand other electrical equipment of conventional design-so controlled -androperated by electric circuits that faulty or improper operations are at .once manifested.

trains.

Variouslother fobjects, attributes and characteristic features of fthe-invention willbe pointed out in connection with the description of the specic embodimentof the invention illustrated, and will also -be apparent as `this description progresses.

Generally-speaking, andwithout attempting to define the nature `and scope oi the invention, it

is proposed 'to ,provide amaster calculator and accumulator mechanism 'for deteramining the arrival times of 'a `proposed night at any desired number of spaced "fixes iin any desired route in the control'areayandlfor either relative direction of movement over such route, as maybe designated 'by 'the actuation oi suitable means for identifying the particular `fixes for the desired route andthe relative ,direction of the flight.

`More specifically,'it isrprQlQOsed ,to employ manually operable'xjdentifying,push buttons `and a 4direction;k'hgoreferably associated with adigram .of a, geographic, layoutof the airways, forthepur- 55 ,pose `of designating the `route and direction of the proposed night for which the master calculator and accumulator will be effective.

The rated cruising speed for the proposed flight is designated by a suitable speed setting means, such as a manually operable cruising speed dial; and the speed correction factors to be applied to any designated cruising speed to give the ground speed for the various nx intervals are also defined by manually operable dials, one for each direction of movement over each nx interval, these speed correction factor dials being set on the basis of the latest information to provide an overall adjustment for variations in the direction and intensity of the wind or other conditions effecting the true ground speed under existing flying conditions with respect to the total length of the associated nx interval. Provision is also preferably made to add to the flying time for a given nx interval, which has been calculated on the basis of the ground speed and distance, any desired additional time as may be designated by the night operator by setting a time correction dial belonging to this nx interval, for the purpose of compensating for the additional time required for a plane to take off and climb to a cruising altitude or make other changes in altitude.

The flying times for the various fix intervals in the designated route for the proposed night, as thus determined by the master calculator and accumulator, are utilized in connection with any desired base departure time at the nrst nx in this route to give the arrival times at succeeding nxes, by setting the master accumulator to conform with such departure time at the beginning of the operation and prior to the calculation of the nying time for the nrst nx interval and its addition into the accumulator. Similarly, the additional climb time for take-olf or change in altitude is added into the accumulator in addition to the calculated flying times. Consequently, the times shown by the accumulator, after its initial setting, and after operation of calculating and accumulating the flying times and time correction factors for each of the nx intervals in turn, correspond with the designated departure time and the proper estimated arrival times for the successive fixes in the route.

After each of the signincant stages in the operation of the master calculator and accumulator with respect to the successive nx intervals in the designated route, the time then represented by the existing condition of the accumulator is automatically registered in suitable time indicating means belonging to the successive fixes.

The general plan of the calculating Aoperation may be said to involve the multiplication of a numerical quantity representing time for :a unit of distance at the established ground speed, and

another quantity corresponding with the number o0 of distance units in the nx interval for which the flying time is being calculated. This multiplication is carried out successively for the respective digit places of the time and distance quantities involved, with automatic carrying of digits as required; and the various partial products resulting from the successive multiplying operations are added into the master accumulator to supplement the time determined for the preceding nx by some previous setting or accumulating operation of said accumulator.

One important characteristic of this invention is that the calculation and accumulation of nying times for the various nx intervals are accomplished by the positive actuation of elec- 4 trically operated devices to predetermined dennite positions in accordance with the selective energization of buses, as distinctive from the gradual displacement of parts to indennite positions in accordance with some prescribed relative motion of mechanical elements. The operation of these electrically operated devices is governed by relays and circuits organized as a whole to conform with the principle of failure on the side of safety, so that broken wires, bad contacts and ordinary mechanical failures are automatically manifested by failure of the system to complete a prescribed operating cycle. More specincally, the calculating and accumulator operation with respect to each of the designated fixes is carried out in a series of successive steps, and the Various circuit controlling devices, movable elements and control circuits involved in each step must operate properly and assume a stabilized condition in order to initiate the next step, so that apparatus and circuit failures are immediately manifested by the stalling of the system.

There are various other desirable attributes and advantages of the organization of means constituting this invention, which are more conveniently discussed as the structure and operation of the specinc embodiment of the invention disclosed are hereinafter explained.

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically and in accordance with certain conventions one specic organization of parts and circuits constituting one embodiment of the invention, the Various parts and circuits having been illustrated in a manner to facilitate an explanation and understanding of the functions and mode of operation of the system, rather than for the purpose of showing in detail the particular structures and arrangements of parts that might be best suited for practicing the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates schematically portions of a flight progress board for displaying the night data for proposed and scheduled flights by positioning electrically operable changeable indicators, this night progress board being assumed to be of the same type and construction disclosed in our prior application, ser. No. 528,926 previously mentioned.

Fig. 2 illustrates generally one arrangement of manually operable push buttons, various setting dials, and a direction key on a control panel for actuation by a flight operator or controller.

Figs. 3 to 11, inclusive, when arranged in the relative positions indicated in Fig. 13, illustrate diagrammatically and conventionally one specinc organization of relays, circuits and other devices in accordance with this invention, this group of ngures relating to various parts of the system as follows:

Fig. 3 shows the means for changing the designated cruising speed in accordance with speed correction factors for the various nx intervals so as to obtain the correct average ground speed for these nx intervals;

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the multiplier and carrier contactors,` together with the various buses and circuit connections, constituting the principal means for carrying out the multiplying process characterizing the invention;

Fig. 6 shows how sets of distance buses, governing the multiplier and carrier contactors of Figs. 4 and 5, are controlled in accordance with the distances between the various nxes in the particular route dignated for a proposed night;

Fig. 7 illustrates the distributor and control 

